OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Snake Mountain would have been heavily favored to win his second consecutive Queens County Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct, but a bruised right-hind foot will keep him in the barn.
That was not disturbing news to the trainers of the eight horses entered in the Grade 3 Queens County, run at 1 3/16 miles over the inner track. With Snake Mountain out, the race is wide open, with Thunder Blitz, Unforgettable Max, and Peekskill expected to vie for favoritism.
NEW ORLEANS - A week ago Fair Grounds racing officials were hustling hard to avoid a short field in Saturday's Tenacious Handicap, but despite a $15,000 purse cut from last year, the race wound up with a highly playable field of 10. Here, bettors will find back class, solid grass form, and two horses from the powerhouse Steve Asmussen barn. But where's the winner?
MIAMI - French Charmer was a high-priced claimer when he arrived here from New York 13 months ago. Saturday he will be the starting highweight and among the favorites in the $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap, which shares top billing with its filly counterpart, the $100,000 My Charmer Handicap, on a 12-race card at Calder. Both races carry Grade 3 status and will be decided at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jorge Chavez was planning to spend the winter riding in New York. But the first day of Aqueduct's inner track meet convinced him otherwise.
On Thursday, Chavez said that he would return to south Florida for the winter to ride at Gulfstream Park, where he was the leading jockey from 1999 through 2001. Chavez will begin riding at Calder on Dec. 15.
MIAMI - When healthy, Stay Forever is widely considered the best filly and mare turf horse on the grounds. The question is whether the injury-plagued mare will be at the top of her game when she returns from a nine-month layoff in Saturday's $100,000 My Charmer Handicap at Calder Race Course.
As expected, the Grade 3 My Charmer drew a full and wide-open field of 12, plus five also-eligibles, to go 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - On a circuit dominated by sprinters, a field of nine New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds, none of whom has raced beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, will be asked to negotiate a two-turn mile in Saturday's $125,000-added Red Hedeman Mile at Sunland Park.
Thursday morning, trainer Henry Dominguez, who will start Youareaggravatin' in the Hedeman, evaluated the past performances of the field and said what many observers believe. "I can't remember seeing a New Mexico-bred as good as Rocky Gulch in some time," he said.
PHOENIX - The Grimm fairy tales were usually orchestrated to extract fear or horror. Well, it seems Grimm the racehorse is taking his name to heart, and his current form has been exacting a similar response from foes. A 4-year-old who has won six of his last seven starts, Grimm is the 122-pound co-highweight in the $35,000 Black Mountain Handicap at Turf Paradise.
FLORENCE, Ky. - It overflowed, then overflowed some more. Not only did the My Charmer Stakes draw 15 entries, of which only 12 can start, but also a few others who were nominated to the My Charmer will run instead in an earlier allowance race, making the Saturday card at Turfway Park a feast of filly-and-mare racing.
Souris will return to what is arguably her best distance when she runs in the $35,000 Cy-Fair Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. The field for the Cy-Fair, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, also includes Real Bear, a recent allowance winner, and Crow Jane, who invades from Fair Grounds.
Souris shortens up in distance for the Cy-Fair, and the move seems to suit her since her last win came over seven furlongs in the $75,000 Wishing Well at Delta Downs. In her most recent start, she closed for fourth in the $100,000 Hawthorne Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.